


Day By Day

by sweetreverie



Series: All The Moments That Made You Mine [5]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mentor & Protégé, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Multi, this one is a wild ride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28031238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetreverie/pseuds/sweetreverie
Summary: Lilith couldn’t help but reason that the criminal would have to be an amatuer in this situation. There were too many unknowns - loose ends. There was no guarantee that she’d answer her scroll. She was head of the coven, after all. And there had been no instructions. No ‘come alone’ or ‘bring x amount of money’ demands.This was no set up. This was something worse, something… real.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Edric Blight & Emira Blight, Amity Blight & Lilith Clawthorne, Amity Blight & Luz Noceda & Willow Park & Gus Porter, Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda
Series: All The Moments That Made You Mine [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880029
Comments: 26
Kudos: 144





	Day By Day

**Author's Note:**

> IT IS HERE! This is the part that you have all begged me for and I have worked tirelessly to make it amazing for you. You will finally get to see how Lilith became Amity’s guardian. I really hoped it was everything everyone anticipated and hoped for. I put a big chunk of my soul into this one, if I am being honest. 
> 
> First item of business: yes, I have been gone for a while. Longer than I intended. However, I still have so much for this series. I’m just in the middle of finals, moving, etc. You name it, I’m doing it rn. So writing is going to take some time, but I am continuing this series! Don’t worry! 
> 
> Second, THANK YOU!! Thank you all for your lovely comments. When I was having a hard time sitting down to write, your comments kept me going. Please continue to leave comments, they truly mean the world to me. 
> 
> Lastly… not to be boo boo the fool, but you guys are reading the whole series, right? You know that you should probably do that? If you don’t you are going to be really lost and confused… That’s all...
> 
> TW: Homophobia and Violence against children

_ “Hiya, Lilith!” Luz said energetically, bouncing down the steps outside of Hexside, toward the witch. Her big smile never leaving her face, not even when she nearly tripped.  _

_ “Good Afternoon, Luz. Did school go well?” Lilith responded kindly, the corner of her mouth turning up in a subtle smile.  _

_ “Sure did!” The girl said with a nod, plopping down on the witch’s staff, “How are they feeling?”  _

_ “Fine. Though Edalyn has been whiney, to no ones surprise.”  _

_ Luz rolled her eyes a little, lightly knocking Lilith’s arm. The woman just smirked.  _

_ Eda and Amity had been unfortunate enough to catch the same cold. It was just a little bug, but they’d been forced to stay home and rest. Silently, Lilith was extremely glad they’d all gotten their vaccinations; if Eda was so bad because of a little cold, she couldn’t imagine if she had the flu.  _

_ “She never gets sick, be nice.” Luz laughed. _

_ “Fine, fine.”  _

_ “Is Amity okay? Willow and I were really worried when she didn’t call at lunch.”  _

_ “She’s been asleep all day, but she’s okay. She was very upset that she couldn’t call and talk to you two.” The witch said.  _

_ Since going natural with her hair, Amity had been making a larger effort to change other parts of her life as well; She’d expanded her studies from only the abomination track to include potions and healing - though she was intruiged by the Bard track too, thanks to Skara.  _

_ She hadn’t said anything to Lilith about adding the Bard track just yet. She wanted to be sure it was what she wanted. Lilith only cared that Amity pursued any track that made her happy, but there was a lot of paperwork involved when adding or changing a track. Amity didn’t want to give her any additional work.  _

_ The most notable change, though, was that Amity had really been making an effort to fix her relationship with Willow. She hadn’t been in the Blight household for about a year, but Luz’s meddling had only just brought them back together. There was a lot of damage that needed fixing. And she was trying to, slowly.  _

_ Willow had been surprised at Amity’s effort. It was a little shocking to have her go from an ex-best friend to being close again. She was still standoff-ish sometimes, but after a while, Willow found herself looking forward to their lunch conversations. There was never a dull moment. Especially when Gus was there, too; He’d been doing some extra work during lunches recently to get extra credit, so they hadn’t been seeing him very often during the day. _

_ Since she’d been ill today and had to stay home, Amity had promised to face-call during lunch. But she’d fallen asleep. Eda had also conked out, so nobody healthy was around to wake her up.  _

_ Lilith had taken a half day from work and hadn’t arrived until after the fact, so Amity had been a bit upset about missing her call. The ickiness of feeling sick and sadness of missing her friends had equaled a very tearful meltdown that Lilith handled with grace.  _

_ Sitting securely on the witch’s staff, they both took off towards the Owl House. They descended into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the scenery. Until Lilith cleared her throat.  _

_ “Luz, can I pick your brain about something?” She asked, just loud enough to be heard over the wind.  _

_ “Sure!” _

_ “Next week will mark one year since I became Amity’s guardian. I wanted to do something for her, but I’m not sure how to go about it. Eda said you might have a few ideas.”  _

_ Luz hadn’t expected that at all. This was a big deal. At least, she thought so. Amity hadn’t told her what happened with her family, since it had all gone down before she came to the Boiling Isles, but she’d been cautious. She didn’t want to suggest anything that would bring back bad memories for her friend. _

_ An idea popped into her head.  _

_ “I know you haven’t officially adopted Amity or anything, but in the human world, adoptive parents sometimes do this thing called a ‘gotcha day,’ - celebrating the day they brought their kids home. Maybe you could do something like that?” She suggested, trying to catch a look at the witch’s face. Since Lilith was facing forward, Luz couldn’t see if she liked the idea or not.  _

_ “That sounds like a brilliant idea, Luz,” Lilith said after some time, turning and flashing the human an approving look, “Thank you.” _

_ “No problem! Is there anything else you need my help with?”  _

_ Lilith wondered for a moment. Did she need Luz’s help with anything else? She liked the girl’s idea of an altered ‘gotcha day’ celebration, but would Amity want her friends over? Maybe they could spend the morning together and then try to work something out for her friends in the evening. Satisfied with the idea, she nodded.  _

_ “I’m thinking of having some of her friends over, maybe a slumber party? I’d like it to be a surprise for her. Do you think you could ask Mr. Porter and Ms. Park on my behalf? I can give them my contact information if their parents have any questions.” Lilith said, seeing the plan come together in her head.  _

_ “Yeah, sure! Willow wanted to come over and see Amity tonight anyway, so you could talk to her before she leaves. I can text Gus too.”  _

_ “Mr. Porter is busy this evening? I thought Amity said his extra credit load was shrinking.”  _

_ “Oh, it is, but he’s shadowing his dad at the news station tonight.” Luz explained easily. Lilith took in the information with a nod.  _

_ The Owl House was quickly growing on the horizon, so they lapsed back into a comfortable silence. Luz didn’t waste a second before launching herself off of the staff and inside of the house. Eda and Amity were both lying on the couch looking miserable. Their heads were at opposite ends of the couch, but they were sharing a large blanket, pulled up to both of their chins.  _

_ “Hi guys!” Luz said cheerily, “How are you feeling?”  _

_ Both winced at the girl’s volume level, their heads pounding. Amity let out a whine. Eda cleared her throat slightly, trying to ignore how it stung when she did so. She really needed some water.  _

_ “Hey, Luz,” Eda forced out, voice painfully scratchy, “You want an honest answer or a curse-free one?”  _

_ “Um, honest. You can be exempt from the swear jar since you’re sick.”  _

_ “Thanks. My head hurts like a bitch.” She said bluntly.  _

_ “Edalyn, language.” Lilith, who had just walked in the door, balked at the words coming from her sister’s mouth.  _

_ “She’s not wrong.” Amity grumbled.  _

_ Amity hated being sick with a passion. Her whole body would ache, her head would pound, and she couldn’t breathe through her nose. It was pure hell. And since she’d gotten sick, she missed a healing lesson that she’d been really excited about. So needless to say, she was not in a cheery mood. At all. Lilith couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.  _

_ “Do you think a potion would help?” Lilith asked, placing the back of her hand against Amity’s forehead.  _

_ “I don’t know. Just leave me to suffer.” The girl said dramatically.  _

_ Suppressing a laugh at the response, Lilith looked to Luz. The girl was barely hiding her own amusement. It was rare that Amity acted so dramatic and out of character. _

_ “I’ll make you both a potion,” Was all the older witch said, before moving towards the kitchen, “Luz, keep these two out of trouble, will you?”  _

_ “Aye, aye, captain!” The human said with a smile, giving Lilith a motion that she didn’t understand.  _

_ In the kitchen, Lilith mixed up a simple potion of hemming weed and lavender root; a common mixture used by mothers on the Boiling Isles. The hemming weed was a natural healing herb that would encourage her body to heal quicker, while the lavender would help her sleep. It was one of the few things she’d learned from her mother. That, and how to pack one hell of a hit. Not that she’d ever used the latter.  _

_ The potion had been one of the few kind things her mother had ever done for her. She’d committed it to memory, in case Eda would ever need it. It turned out to be a good idea.  _

_ Amity had an unfortunate habit of picking up whatever sickness she came into contact with. It would start with an innocent-seeming sniffle, then she’d get a headache. By the next morning, Amity would be a sick mess, unable to do anything beyond sleeping. If Lilith’s potion skills had been lacking before, she was practically a professional after six months.  _

_ Walking back into the living room, she saw Luz talking cheerfully to Amity, though in a tone much more hushed than usual. Despite her being ill, Amity’s eyes were bright as Luz spoke. Fond. Lilith couldn’t help but wonder about that. Unfortunately, she was distracted by Eda letting out a rattling cough.  _

_ “Here, Edalyn, drink this.” Lilith said, handing her a small vial. Eda didn’t hesitate to down it all in one gulp.  _

_ “That’s the good stuff.” The woman muttered before turning over and burrowing back under the blankets.  _

_ The older witch just shook her head, before offering the other vial to Amity. She took it, letting out a small sigh before closing her eyes slightly.  _

_ “Sorry, Luz.” Amity said softly. _

_ “Don’t worry about it. Get some rest,” Luz replied, fondness etched onto her features. Then she leant down, placing a kiss on Amity’s forehead, “ _ _ Duerme apretada, querida.” _

_ Lilith was surprised. That was certainly new. She watched as Luz placed a similar kiss on Eda’s forehead as well, before they both sat down, each choosing their own book.  _

_ She had found that when it came to Luz, the girl either had a lot to say or nothing at all. It didn’t bother her, she just found it interesting how someone so lively could also be so completely silent at times.  _

_ People were complex like that.  _

_ A week seemed to pass in no time at all, between caring for a sick Amity and trying to covertly plan her ‘gotcha day’ activities. Luz had relayed the plans to Willow and Gus, who’d both confirmed they could come. Gus’ dad was completely fine with the idea, but Willow’s dads had wanted to meet Lilith before letting their daughter spend the night.  _

_ The witch had been surprised at how much she enjoyed her time with the married couple. They were vastly different people, but both very fun in their own ways. She could see where Willow got a lot of her traits from.  _

_ Willow’s dads, Aldaziel and Daeshim, had a lot of concerns letting their daughter stay over. They remembered how Willow had been after Amity pushed her away, plus the subsequent bullying she experienced. Willow had told them about how Amity had been better, trying to make up for everything she’d done, but they still had their worries.  _

_ Upon meeting her, it was easy for them to see the differences between how Lilith was and how Fantessa had been; not only in the way she spoke to them, but in the way she spoke about Amity. Fantessa had been short, speaking about the girl like an object. Lilith held nothing but love when talking about Amity.  _

_ What sealed their positive opinion of Lilith was her willingness to hear them out. Completely. Fantessa would have never done such a thing. Instead, she would have insisted that the Park’s were trying to slander the Blight name. Lilith had listened; explaining that while she could not excuse Amity’s actions, her child was making an active effort to repair the damage she’d caused. And that if they didn’t want Willow to spend extra time with the girl for now, it wouldn’t change Lilith’s opinion of them or their daughter. That had been enough for them.  _

_ Sure, they were still wary of how Amity might act, but they could tell that Lilith would not hesitate to step in if anything happened. She would look out for Willow, just as she looked out for Amity. Knowing that their daughter was being cared for was all they needed. They just hoped they were making the right choice.  _

_ That was how Lilith had ended up frantically preparing for the arrival of five other children in her home.  _

_ As well as Gus and Willow, Luz had roped Edric and Emira into it. A fact she was grateful for.  _

_ She knew Amity cared about the twins, even though their relationship had become strained after she came to live with Lilith - the twins not understanding why she’d left. Amity didn’t have the heart to tell them what their parents had done to her. So there had been a very long, difficult period of silence. Until Luz decided to step in and help.  _

_ The three siblings had made up, and were much closer now than before, but they never learned why Amity left. That was a story only Lilith and Amity knew. It was to stay that way until Amity felt comfortable opening up about it. But Lilith could tell that the girl was changing, becoming more eager to open up. To finally share the parts of herself she’d been afraid of.  _

_ A tap on the window drew her out of her thoughts. Turning, Ravenna was sitting on the windowsill, holding the items she’d asked for. She opened it with a soft smile.  _

_ “Thank you.” Lilith said gratefully, scratching her under the chin and giving her a few cubes of fruit. Ravenna cooed happily.  _

_ She’d sent the raven out to collect a few plums from her garden, so that she could make up another batch of puffs. Over the past week, she’d been hoarding the ingredients to Amity’s favorite foods. She’d placed an order into Amity’s favorite restaurant for dinner and was now focused on dessert and snacks. Luckily for her, she’d gotten Eda and Luz to take Amity out for a few hours.  _

_ After a morning of celebratory delights, Eda and Luz were supposed to randomly show, asking Amity to go out to the market with them. Amity had looked so guilty when she asked to go. It almost broke her heart. She assured the girl that it was perfectly alright to go out and that she’d see them all later for dinner. There was nothing to feel guilty about.  _

_ She couldn’t pretend it wasn’t a little sad to see their time end. Lilith had surprised Amity with breakfast in bed and a day at the bookstore, so they’d been attached at the hip since early that morning. And though she knew Amity would be home later, it had all passed by so fast, and she wanted to rewind it.  _

_ It was no secret to anyone who met them that Amity was her pride and joy. Sometimes though, she tended to forget just how precious her time with the girl was. Days like these never failed to remind her.  _

_ They had scares and rough moments, like every other family did, though. Days like these brought them to mind as well. Showed how far they’d come. From that first meeting, to bringing her home for good - there were so many moments in between them.  _

_ As she thought about how dramatically things had changed, she was reminded of a time when things weren’t so easy. Or open. A time when something had held them back from complete honesty... _

“Lilith, can you help me with something?” Amity asked politely. They were taking a break in the middle of their lessons and enjoying a bit of silence, when a thought had come into her head. 

“I can certainly try.” 

“Well, I wanted to buy this new book series, but my mother said it’s ‘unfit’ material for me to read. And I  _ really  _ want to read it.” Amity said, turning wide puppy-dog eyes on the older witch. It nearly worked, too. 

“You wish for me to go behind your mother’s back and buy you a book that could be wildly inappropriate?” Lilith asked, raising an eyebrow, “Dearest, you know I trust you. But depending on the book I may agree with your mother.” 

Amity let out a frustrated sigh, annoyance taking up residence on her face. She nearly glared at the other witch out of frustration, only to remember that this was  _ Lilith.  _ If she didn’t verbalize her thoughts then Lilith certainly wouldn’t help her. 

“Can you at least tell me why they’re ‘unfit,’ then? I don’t get it. They’re just like the Azura books!” 

“If you tell me the series then yes, I will tell you why your mother doesn’t want you reading them.” Lilith said calmly. 

“It’s the Queens of Ice and Fire series.” Amity said softly. 

With a nod of acknowledgement, Lilith pulled out her scroll, intent on researching the series. Given that it was written for young witches, she’d never heard of it. A quick Boogle search told her exactly what Amity had, that it was very similar to the Azura series. There was nothing to suggest anything inappropriate. However, a specific article caught her eye. She scanned it quickly, realizing just why Fantessa had been so set against it. 

Queens of Ice and Fire was just like Azura; two witches fighting for what they believe is right, with one notable difference. The two witches fall in love. Her heart caught in her throat. If Fantessa was likely so prejudiced, would Amity hold those same values? Lilith and Amity were very honest with one another, but would this be the part of herself Lilith had to hide? 

Before she could let herself dig into those thoughts too deeply, she caught the curious and expectant look on her apprentice’s face. Amity was a shy, but free-thinking girl. She needed to trust her to be open-minded. 

“I believe the reason your mother finds this book inappropriate is because of the romance aspect,” She started, watching the girl’s face intently, “Since the romance is between two women, rather than a man and woman.” 

Of all the reactions she expected, she didn’t anticipate watching Amity visibly pale in front of her. The girl’s shoulders drooped slightly and she looked like she’d seen a ghost. Unbeknownst to her, Amity was having an internal crisis before her eyes. 

_ Why does mother have a problem with that? Is that… wrong?  _ Amity couldn’t help but wonder. 

Her chest began to feel hollow, her body heavy, as she remembered all of the moments she’d refused to acknowledge. Having no interest in boys. Watching pretty girls in the hallway for a little too long. Her heart fluttering when Willow’s face would light up in a smile. Was that normal for other girls, to feel all fluttery and giddy like that? Was it… wrong? 

_ Is there something wrong with me?  _

Amity wanted to cry. She would have to live a whole lie now, wouldn’t she? Nobody could know that she was like those characters in the book. That she’d rather kiss a slimy swamp demon than kiss a boy. That she wanted to hold hands with a pretty girl. Nobody could know. It would be her deepest, darkest secret. 

But a part of her fought against those thoughts. The part of her that had been growing in confidence during her time with Lilith. Wanting to love someone else couldn’t make her a bad person. There was nothing wrong with that, right? Couples held hands and kissed all of the time. Why should it matter if it was two girls, or even two boys, instead? Wasn’t it good enough to love and love honestly? 

“Is… Is that wrong?” Amity asked timidly, meeting the eyes of her mentor. The tone of voice and the fear in her eyes felt like a punch to Lilith’s gut. 

“Not in my opinion, no,” The witch said quickly, “There are some who believe it is, but they’re wrong. There is nothing wrong with loving someone of the same sex.” 

The conviction in Lilith’s voice put her at ease. Lilith wouldn’t be angry at her or hate her. Not like her mother would. Speaking of her mother, her mind snapped back to the conversation they’d begun with. 

“So, would it be okay for me to read those books?” She asked.

She had a sudden eagerness to read them. Two powerful witches, both of them just like her. It gave her a bit of hope. If there were books in the Boiling Isles that were so openly about two women falling in love, maybe it wasn’t such an outrageous thought that it could happen in real life. That she could have a storybook romance just like other couples did. 

“I will… purchase them for you, but it would be a good idea for you to only read them here.” Lilith said slowly. 

She was hesitant to so openly go against Amity’s mother. But nothing about two women falling in love was going to hurt Amity or traumatize her. It was Fantessa’s job to raise her daughter and instill her with core values, but it was Lilith’s job to ensure that Amity grew into herself and was open to the differences around her. Only arcane witches judged those around them. She would not allow the girl to become one of them. To become hateful. 

Her choice seemed to be the right one, as Amity moved excitedly. The girl’s eyes had regained that brightness she knew well. It worried her that she didn’t know what had taken it away. She was supposed to reassure the girl when she doubted herself. 

_ No, you’re supposed to teach her to reassure  _ **_herself_ ** _. To trust herself.  _

Being a mentor was a lot more difficult than she’d anticipated. It wasn’t just teaching them spells or magical history, it was also teaching them life lessons and helping them grow into the best version of themselves. Lilith was still learning life lessons as she went, so having to teach them to Amity was a challenge. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be a parent.

“Thank you, Lilith!” Amity said enthusiastically, interrupting her thoughts. Her lips parting to reveal a bright smile. 

“Of course.” Lilith smiled easily. 

After that, she thought that the matter was closed. 

In the hustle and bustle of everything, she’d forgotten the conversation had even happened. She bought the books as she said she would, to which Amity had been extremely excited, delving into them the second she could. But it seemed that had only been the first part of the conversation. 

Exactly a week after the first conversation had taken place, the second occurred. 

Amity’s parents and siblings were once again out of town, so the girl was with her for the weekend. Lilith had noticed her acting strangely all day, but wrote it off, though worry settled in the pit of her stomach. Maybe she’d just had a difficult day at school. That worry stuck with her, even when she went to the guest room - though she thought of it more as ‘Amity’s room’ now - and the girl hugged her a little longer than was even normal for her. 

Lilith wanted to ask what was wrong. But the expression on Amity’s face stopped her; it was a mixture of sadness and frustration, a deadly combination when it came to her apprentice. It was unlikely she’d get any answers tonight. Vowing to deal with it in the morning, she lovingly tucked the girl into bed and went back to her own room, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. 

_ Tap. Tap. Creaaaak. _

“Lilith?” 

“Hmm?” The woman hummed, cracking her eyes open slightly, half awake.

_ She probably had a bad dream or something.  _

“Lilith, is there something wrong with me?” The girl blurted out. 

_ Wait. Huh? _

The woman blinked rapidly, trying to wake herself up. Propping herself up against her pillow, she squinted against the light from the hallway, letting her eyes adjust. She could then make out Amity’s face. Her eyes were glassy and her bottom lip was trembling, Otabin clutched to her chest. 

“Pardon?” Lilith asked, not entirely sure what the girl had actually said. 

“Is there something wrong with me?” Amity said, sounding choked. 

The question stunned her. Her mind immediately said ‘no,’ but she didn’t know that for sure. Was the girl feeling sick? Or having an allergic reaction? Her mind went through all of the possibilities. 

“Why are you asking? You’re not having trouble breathing or anything, are you? Are you feeling sick?” 

Lilith reached out, placing the back of her hand against the girl’s forehead. Amity didn’t feel like she was running a fever. That was one scenario out of the way. Gently, she grabbed the girl’s arm, checking for hives or any bumps to indicate an allergic reaction. She found none. 

“N-No, I’m fine, I just-” Amity fumbled over her words, letting out a frustrated sigh. 

The older witch calmed down slightly, realizing that it hadn’t been a question to be taken literally. Something was bothering Amity. Sitting up fully, she made some room on the bed, patting the space. Amity didn’t hesitate to climb up onto it. 

Amity didn’t say anything. Not right away, at least. She accepted the spot, as well as the blanket Lilith offered, but then she just sat there. Like she couldn’t figure out what to say. Though she was curious, the woman didn’t push. 

“Is… Is it wrong, to like girls?” She asked eventually, breaking the silence.

“What do you mean?” Lilith asked slowly. Seeing as it was the middle of the night, her brain wasn’t working like it normally would. 

“Like, like wanting to hold their hand or dance with them.” Amity whispered. 

_ Oh.  _

It hit her all at once; Amity liked girls. That was why she’d been so upset the week before and why she was coming to her now. She liked girls and had nobody to talk to, no way of understanding how she was feeling. 

“There is nothing wrong with you. Not one bit.” Lilith said strongly. 

“Really?” 

Amity looked at her, eyes still shining with unshed tears. Had Amity been dealing with this for some time now? Had someone told her that she was wrong? She couldn’t imagine that it had been Fantessa. If the girl’s mother had known, Lilith guessed that the woman would have given her more than just a thorough talking-to. The thought sent a chill down her spine. She didn’t want to know what the woman would do. 

“Really. There are cruel witches and demons in this world who will tell you things like that, but they are wrong. Loving someone could never make you wrong,” Lilith said, “If that were true, then I wouldn’t be where I am now.” 

She watched as all of the pieces came together in the girl’s mind, her eyes widening. Amity tried to speak, to say anything, but in her haste it came out a bit jumbled. Lilith couldn’t help but grin. Her mind always worked faster than her mouth did. 

“You-You…?” 

“Yes, dearest,” Lilith said softly, “I see women romantically. Like the witches in your book.” 

Amity looked up at the woman like she was her hero. Her eyes were wide and she had a smile slowly spreading across her face. It felt like the two were really  _ seeing  _ one another for the first time; openly and honestly.

“Wow.” Amity said softly, her voice full of awe, “That is so cool.” 

Lilith wanted to laugh. Only a young person would call her sexuality ‘cool.’ But she knew what this meant to her apprentice. She’d gone so long without knowing her own feelings, feeling alone in her experiences, to having an adult she could relate to. That meant everything to a young person. Especially one who was unsure of themselves. So she held back her laugh, instead offering a sweet smile. 

“Thank you.” 

“Is it… nice?” The girl asked, feeling a bit hesitant. Lilith raised an eyebrow. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Liking girls. Being in relationships with them.” Amity clarified. 

Lilith didn’t know how to tell the girl that she’d never actually  _ been  _ in a relationship. There had been flings and one-night stands, but she’d never found someone that she’d seriously consider seeing. Well, not someone she thought would feel the same. But she didn’t want to take away any hope for the girl - that one day she’d get a storybook romance, just with a woman instead of a man. 

“It is very nice.” She agreed softly, hoping Amity wouldn’t prod for anymore information. 

It seemed, though, that she was too tired to ask anymore questions. Her eyelids were drooping as she slumped slightly against the headboard, before shaking herself awake. The older witch tried to hide her amusement at the scene. 

“Can I just sleep in here?” Amity asked, rubbing at her eyes. 

“Of course.” Lilith said genuinely. 

She worried that if Amity tried to go back to her own room, she’d be overwhelmed by her exhaustion and hurt herself on accident. Avoiding any harm coming to the girl was her first priority. So it was no issue for Lilith to give up her side of the bed so that Amity could sleep. She tucked the blankets around the girl gently, which made Amity smile up at her sleepily. Leaning down, Lilith pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s forehead. 

“Sweet dreams.” The witch whispered, watching as Amity tried to whisper something back, but was too tired to form anything beyond gibberish. 

With a calm feeling settling over the house, Amity and Lilith both slipped into a peaceful sleep. Nothing could disturb the peace they’d created. And nothing did. 

_ Lilith let a fond smile tug at her mouth as she recalled the memory.  _

_ Waking up the next morning had been an experience. Amity moved around when she slept, practically doing gymnastics with all of the forms she could do. It normally wasn’t an issue since Amity had her own bed. But when Lilith woke up, she keenly recognized that the girl was half-sprawled on top of her, and that certain places on her arms were beginning to bruise.  _

_ She would have let the girl stay even if she’d known, but that didn’t mean she was thrilled about having been a punching bag for the night. She never said anything. Amity would feel guilty, and it wasn’t something she could control. So before the girl woke up, she made sure to hide the forming bruises magically. And Amity had been none the wiser.  _

_ A polite knock on the front door of the house startled her from her thoughts, making her jump. Spending so many years alone would do that to you. It was just another thing that Amity was responsible for; bringing people back into her life. The witch realized that she’d probably never stop realizing things that Amity had changed in her life. And she’d never stop being grateful for her presence. It made her feel lighter, knowing how full everything was now that Amity was a part of it. _

_ Hurrying to the front door, she smoothed out a few barely-there wrinkles on her dress, before pulling it open. On the other side stood a beaming Willow and Gus, with Willow’s parents standing behind them.  _

_ “Willow, Gus, I’m so glad you could make it. Come in.” Lilith said kindly, stepping aside so everyone could walk in.  _

_ “Good evening, Lilith.” Aldaziel, one of Willow’s father’s said politely.  _

_ “Aldaziel, Daeshim,” She greeted, “Good evening. I hope this week has been better than the last.”  _

_ Upon meeting the couple, they’d told Lilith that they were having issues with parts of their kitchen randomly going haywire. The stove would open and shut like it was possessed, or the sink faucet would refuse to work. It was a nightmare and they’d considered replacing everything, which would have set them back quite a bit financially.  _

_ “It has. Your suspicions turned out to be right on the money; Rug Warts had infested everything. It was a bit of money to rid the whole house, but it was manageable. Thank you.” Daeshim said, adjusting his glasses nervously in a way that was so similar to his daughter.  _

_ “I’m glad that I could help,” Lilith smiled, “Oh! Did you get the chance to try out the recipe I recommended?”  _

_ “Yeah, they did,” Willow jumped in, having been listening to the conversation, “It was really good, Miss Lilith!”  _

_ “Fantastic.” Lilith smiled at the girl.  _

_ “Well, don’t let us keep you,” Aldaziel said with a smile, “Willow, have fun and use your manners, alright?”  _

_ “Dad, I  _ **_always_ ** _ use my manners.” Willow whined, though she moved forward to give both men a hug.  _

_ “It never hurts to remind you, dear,” Daeshim said fondly, “Lilith, if anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call. Is there a specific time you’d like us to pick them up tomorrow?”  _

_ “I never set one. I wanted to leave that decision up to Amity. Would it be all right to have them call you when we know?” Lilith asked politely.  _

_ “That would be perfect. We’ll see you tomorrow, then.”  _

_ Exchanging departing remarks, Lilith shut the door with a smile. She then turned to Willow and Gus, who looked a bit awkward standing in her entry way. It was understandable. Being left with your friend’s guardian was always a little weird, especially when you weren’t around them often.  _

_ “Willow, Augustus, would you two mind helping me out with something before everyone else gets here?” Lilith asked.  _

_ The uncomfortable tension from standing around eased. Willow and Gus both perked up, happy to be given something to do.  _

_ “Sure.” Gus said with a smile.  _

_ “Fantastic. You see, I made a few of Amity’s favorite treats for this evening and a new batch just came out. They can turn out a bit tricky sometimes, would you mind trying one and telling me if they turned out all right?” Lilith asked.  _

_ The whole thing was a lie, as nocturnal plums weren’t temperamental when baking, but she wanted the two to feel more at ease. They were good kids and though she wanted to deny it, she did care about if they enjoyed being here. For Amity’s sake. She saw how the girl lit up when she talked about her friends and didn’t want to mess anything up for her.  _

_ It seemed to be the right choice, too, as she watched their eyes light up. They both nodded quickly. What Lilith was unaware of, was that Gus and Willow had already tried her baking before. The witch would often slip a treat into Amity’s lunch. And Amity liked to share. So they were practically salivating at the idea of trying a whole one.  _

_ “Woah.” Willow whispered upon entering the kitchen.  _

_ What Lilith had described as ‘a few’ of Amity’s favorite treats were all scattered around the space, covering nearly every surface. It was safe to say she might have gone a little overboard. But she wasn’t used to having quite so many people in her house at one time. Let alone a bunch of growing witches.  _

_ The older witch hadn’t heard the quiet exclamation. Instead, she went about plating two puffs normally, before setting them down in front of the younger witches. The two wasted no time before digging into them.  _

_ “These are amazing, Miss Lilith!” Gus said with a bright smile.  _

_ “Thank you, Augustus, I’m glad you enjoy them.”  _

_ “I could eat so many of these and never get tired of them.” Willow said softly, looking at the pastry with an almost awe-struck look in her eyes.  _

_ “You’re free to have as many as you would like. As long as you don’t make yourself sick.” Lilith said with a smile. It made her very proud to know that they enjoyed her baking. Amity raved on about it all the time, but it was different when it was your own child.  _

_ The room lapsed into silence as Lilith went about plating everything that had just come out of the oven. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but there was a slight awkwardness to it. So Lilith tried to dissolve the tension.  _

_ “Agustus, how is your father? I’m afraid I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with him in some time.” Lilith asked curiously.  _

_ “Oh!” The boy sat up a little straighter upon being addressed directly, “He’s really good. Busy with the news station and everything, but that’s normal. I got to spend the day with him though. It is really cool behind the scenes.”  _

_ “Yes, Luz and Amity mentioned that. Do you have a favorite part of your visit?”  _

_ “I really liked getting to see my dad work.” Gus said softly, picking at the remains of his pastry. _

_ “That is wonderful. Amity mentioned that you’re very good with people, I’m sure if you wished you could follow in his footsteps.” Lilith said.  _

_ Amity had mentioned in passing how Gus idolized his father, striving to emulate some of his traits. From what Lilith had seen, he did. But he also brought his own unique flair to it. She couldn’t help but think that Perry must be very proud of his son.  _

_ Lilith’s comment made Gus look at her with bright eyes, like she’d said the one thing he’d always hoped to hear. He gave her a beaming smile.  _

_ Willow, who had been watching the interaction with curiosity, couldn’t help but smile too. Gus often put too much pressure on himself and didn’t get the recognition he deserved. It was nice to see her friend get some appreciation.  _

_ A firm, quick set of knocks on the front door announced the arrival of two more people.  _

_ Lilith already knew it was Edric and Emira by the way they knocked, but if she hadn’t, Ravenna’s reaction would have tuned her in. The raven was very fond of the twins and was attuned to when they were around. Well, she was like that with all three of the children, but it was more prominent since the twins weren’t living with them.  _

_ The knocks continued as Lilith made her way to the door. It made her shake her head slightly, though a slight smile did cross her face. They were quite impatient - though they meant well.  _

_ “Lilith!” Edric and Emira said happily when she opened the door, wasting no time in throwing their arms around the witch.  _

_ “Oh, hello children,” Lilith replied, surprised. She wrapped her arms around them in a quick, tight hug before they pulled away, “How was your week?”  _

_ “Boring, but much better now. When does Mittens get here?” Emira asked with a bright smile.  _

_ Edric had let his sister do most of the talking, looking around the room curiously. His eyes brightened slightly when he caught sight of Ravenna ruffling her wings excitedly on Lilith’s shoulder. All he had to do was hold out a hand, which she jumped into without hesitation.  _

_ “Amity will be here in half an hour. Luz and Eda got her out of the house so I could fix everything just so.” Lilith supplied, watching the interaction between Edric and her palisman with soft eyes.  _

_ “It looks really nice in here.” Edric said finally.  _

_ “Thank you, dear,” The older witch smiled, “Why don’t you two come into the kitchen? Augustus and Willow arrived not too long before you.”  _

_ Though the four of them weren’t particularly close, the twins were excited to see the duo. So they obediently followed Lilith back into the kitchen. Their eyes widened at all of the food spread across the surfaces, marvelling at all of the effort it must have taken. _

_ “Woah. How long did all of this take you?” Emira asked.  _

_ “Just a few hours.” Lilith answered casually, plating up two puff pastries for them.  _

_ Edric and Emira couldn’t help but share a look. Their eyes conveyed shock. When it came to special occasions at the Blight Manor, everything was made by a third party - typically a skilled chef that Fantessa and Rupert pulled a few favors to get. They couldn’t imagine their parents ever working in the kitchen for longer than a few minutes. And certainly not for  _ **_them._ ** _ They couldn’t help but wonder if they tasted different; being made by a loving guardian.  _

_ Eagerly, they dug into the pastry that was placed in front of them. Edric tried to hide the tears that came to his eyes. It did taste different. Better. He wanted nothing more than to savor it forever, but guilt pooled in his stomach at the thought, so he did the opposite.  _

_ Emira had a similar emotional response. But unlike her brother, she didn’t want to let it go. She let herself enjoy it without guilt or consequence. Holding onto the warmth that spread through her like a gentle wave. _

_ There was a small ‘ding!’ from somewhere in the kitchen, making all of the children look around curiously. Lilith was the only one who knew what it was. She’d been keeping her scroll nearby since Amity had left, so that Luz and Eda could alert her when they were about to arrive.  _

**_L Noceda: About 5 minutes from the house! [video attached]_ ** __

_ Lilith opened the video Luz had sent with the message, unable to help the small smile that spread across her face. She realized it must have been from earlier in the day.  _

_ It was a video of Amity and Eda, playing some sort of game at the market. Eda had lifted Amity above her head, before holding her legs and swinging her forward somewhat. It was then that she registered the large mallet in Amity’s hands.  _

_ As Eda swung Amity down, the girl slammed the mallet onto one side of a see-saw like structure, sending the poor creature on the other side flying up into the air. The duo, as well as people surrounding them, watched the sky intently. It must have been rather extraordinary since the worker handed Amity the largest prize in sight. Lilith felt herself melt when Amity turned to show Eda, then Luz, her frame vibrating excitedly. Then the video cut off. The woman didn’t hesitate to save the video to her scroll, before turning to the four children.  _

_ “They’re almost here. Let’s move into the living room.” Lilith said. The children all nodded before doing as instructed.  _

_ They all took seats facing the door, while Lilith turned all of the lights off. She stayed standing by the switch, though. So that when the girl unlocked the door, Lilith would be able to flip them on. Then they would all say ‘surprise!’  _

_ Lilith had gone back and forth on the idea for a while, knowing that loud noises often made Amity extremely anxious. But she reasoned that as long as nobody actually  _ **_yelled_ ** _ , then it would be okay.  _

_ Standing in the dark, they all waited silently, until there was the tell-tale sign of Amity’s key in the front door. Lilith heard the kids take in an anticipatory breath. Then the door opened, shedding a bit of light into the living room.  _

_ “Oh, let me turn the lights on.” Amity’s voice said through the dark. There was a little bit of a shuffling noise, then the lights flipped on.  _

_ “Surprise!” Everyone said with a smile.  _

_ Amity looked startled, but didn’t look upset or scared. Then she took in the faces of her friends and family in the room, a confused smile on her face. When she looked to Lilith, the woman stepped forward.  _

_ “Luz had a wonderful idea for you to celebrate today with your friends. Happy ‘gotcha day.’” Lilith smiled, placing her hands on Amity’s shoulders as the girl looked up at her.  _

_ “Gotcha day.” Amity repeated softly.  _

_ “Happy gotcha day, Amity.” Luz said, opening up her arms to the girl. Amity walked into the hug with a smile.  _

_ When she’d broken away from her hug with Luz, she rushed to Lilith, barreling into the woman in an excited hug. Lilith returned the embrace fondly. It filled her with joy to see Amity so openly happy. _

_ “Thank you.” Amity whispered just loud enough for her to hear.  _

_ “Of course, my dearest,” Lilith replied, “Anything for you.”  _

_ It wasn’t the first time Lilith had said it and it wouldn’t be the last. Every time though, it ignited a warmth in her heart. She’d finally found the safe haven she’d always wanted - in Lilith. After living with the woman, it was easy to forget that it’d been so much worse before. That she hadn’t always had this love and support.  _

_ As they released one another from the hug, Amity’s other friends crowded around, making the woman take a step back. While they all got to talking, Lilith and Eda went convened in the kitchen.  _

_ “You did good on this.” Eda said.  _

_ The witch was sitting at the kitchen table, swirling her apple blood in her glass. She was looking interestedly at all of the food around the place. Slyly, she popped a snack in her mouth.  _

_ “All thanks to Luz, honestly,” Lilith admitted, “Without her help, none of this would have been possible.”  _

_ “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You started this because you wanted to do something nice for your kid.”  _

_ “I suppose. Hands out of the food, Edalyn.”  _

_ Lilith smirked at her sister, who was shocked at being caught. She watched a blush spread across the woman’s cheeks. Before anymore could be said, the kitchen was overrun by hungry children. Amity’s eyes widened at the amount of food.  _

_ While Amity had frozen to look at everything, the other five were filling up their plates excitedly. Eyes sparkling with the excitement only children could possess. Eda couldn’t help but grin at the scene, though she hid it behind a hand. She couldn’t let them know that she was going soft.  _

_ But Lilith was looking at her in that knowing way. The one that she couldn’t help but find annoying. Her sister had given her that look way too many times over the years. Mostly as children. It still held up.  _

_ “Alright, troublemakers, don’t eat it all up now,” Eda said, “Save some for us old people too. Now, go, do whatever it is that you weirdos do.”  _

_ Gus and Amity stuck their tongues out at the witch, before running out of the room as Eda attempted to tickle them. Lilith tried to stifle her laugh at the scene. The last thing she needed was to encourage her sister, who’d likely tickle the children until they were in pain. She knew from experience.  _

_ “Leave them be, Edalyn.” Lilith admonished good-naturedly.  _

_ “Where’s the fun in that?” Eda said, but did as Lilith asked.  _

_ Amity was the last to put treats on her plate, plucking them from the trays carefully. With intention. She made sure not to blemish any of the others on the surface, though it wouldn’t have made a difference to her friends. It would have bothered her to tarnish something Lilith had worked so hard on, though.  _

_ “Thank you.” The girl said softly, stopping to wrap an arm around Lilith.  _

_ “No thanks needed, now go have fun.” Lilith encouraged.  _

_ Amity didn’t hesitate this time. Reassured that Lilith wanted her to have a good time, she leaped at the available time to spend with her favorite people.  _

_ Lilith watched her until she was completely out of the kitchen, an unconscious smile on her face. Eda couldn’t help but watch her sister, feeling some of the joy she was. Watching the formerly stern, lonely woman turn into the poster-child for a happy family had been something Eda would always remember.  _

_ “You really did do good, you know.” Eda said in a tone that was too fond for her liking.  _

_ Her sister’s gaze moved back to her’s, looking a little surprised by the comment. Or maybe the emotion in it. Knowing it would embarrass Eda though, she didn’t draw any attention to it.  _

_ “Thank you, Eda.” Lilith said, accepting the comment fully.  _

_ The two sisters sat down at the table, sharing a long conversation. It was similar to the scene in the main room where the children sat. But as the words flowed openly between them, the time ticked on. Until day was night and the children couldn’t stifle their yawns.  _

_ Lilith had come into the living room with a knowing look, collecting the long discarded plates. She then not-so-subtly suggested that the children prepare themselves for bed. Even if they weren’t planning to sleep yet. None of them had the energy to disobey her.  _

_ That was how the six children found themselves in their pajamas and tucked into their sleeping rolls, talking quietly in the dim light. A few lamps around the room bathed them in warm light.  _

_ “Children, Eda and I will be upstairs should you need us.” Lilith said, standing at the bottom of her staircase in a nightgown.  _

_ There was a cacophony of ‘okay’s in response to her statement. She turned to walk up the stairs, but couldn’t help but cast one last look at Amity. Good thing too. The girl had turned in her sleeping roll and was looking at her intently. Lilith furrowed her brows. Amity held out her arms and made a grabby-hands motion, making her understand.  _

_ Lilith walked over and knelt down next to Amity, ignoring the perilous cracking of her knees. Amity snugly wrapped her arms around her, and Lilith did the same.  _

_ “Goodnight.” Lilith murmured, rubbing a hand on the girl’s back.  _

_ “Night. Thank you for today - for everything.” Amity whispered back.  _

_ Lilith nodded. There was nothing else to say. She was glad that Amity was happy, she just hoped the girl knew how much it made her happy to do this for her.  _

_ As she pulled from the hug, Lilith caught sight of Eda unceremoniously plopping herself on the floor next to Luz, Willow, and Guz. Surprisingly, she couldn’t hear what her sister was saying.  _

_ Before she could stand back up, she saw the looks on Edric and Emira’s faces. They were watching the interactions with sadness - a longing. It broke her heart. Lilith knew that Fantessa and Rupert had heavily favored the twins over Amity, but she was starting to wonder what ‘favored’ meant.  _

_ When she’d been completely extracted from Amity’s embrace, Lilith moved over to the twins, kneeling down in a similar way. Their heads perked up in surprise. As did Ravenna’s. The raven had perched herself on an object between the two - keeping watch, it seemed.  _

_ “Goodnight, you two.” Lilith said softly.  _

_ She placed a comforting hand on their arms, but didn’t move to do anything more. If they wanted more, she trusted them to initiate it. That was their choice.  _

_ Edric and Emira surprised her by sitting up and hugging her. Emira was lightning fast with the action, while Edric had hesitated uncertainly before following her actions. His embrace was more loose, she noted. Lilith took that into account when wrapping her own arms around them.  _

_ “Goodnight, Lilith.” Emira whispered, her cheek resting on the woman’s shoulder.  _

_ “Goodnight, Lilith - thanks for inviting us.” Edric said.  _

_ “Of course. We couldn’t do this without you,” Lilith smiled as they pulled back, “Sweet dreams.”  _

_ The twins murmured the same sentiment back to the woman. As she turned and stood, she missed the expressions on their faces as they watched her go. A mixture of love and hope, but with hesitation lurking just below the surface. If she had seen it, it certainly would have made her heart ache.  _

_ With one last glimpse over the room, the two adults took their leave, moving to their respective bedrooms for the night. The children lapsed into comfortable conversation after that. Though once more they were unaware of the passing of time, placing them around the witching hour - when a certain question conjured up a retelling of the heartbreaking variety.  _

_ “Hey, Mittens?” Emira whispered.  _

_ They were all awake, except for Edric who’d turned over long ago to sleep. As they grew more tired though, the silences became longer and longer.  _

_ “Yeah?”  _

_ “Can I ask you something? You… You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”  _

_ “Just ask, Em.”  _

_ “Why did you leave home?” Emira whispered cautiously, “Was it really so horrible being a Blight?”  _

_ Amity froze. Visions of dark moments replayed, as vivid as the days she’d experienced them. Visions that she’d never shared with anyone but Lilith. Edric and Emira had always seemed blissfully ignorant of what had occurred, of their parents treatment of her. She’d never wanted to tarnish their home-life for them.  _

_ It solidified completely for her now that Ed and Em had never known anything about the abuse she endured. Acknowledging that felt like reopening an old wound. Fantessa and Rupert had put the weight of the world on her shoulders, in order to take weight off of the twins. A bitter feeling lodged itself in her chest.  _

_ She knew they had no control over what had happened. No understanding of just how amazing they’d had it. But it didn’t stop her from feeling angry - angry that she kept it to herself to make things easier for them. Like their parents had.  _

_ “I’m sorry, Amity, forget I asked anything, okay?” Emira said after a long bout of silence had passed. It was the most timid she’d ever heard her sister sound before.  _

_ “No I- It’s okay. I think I’m okay with talking about it,” Amity said slowly, aware of the fact that everyone was listening, “You just have to know that this isn’t something you can unlearn. Are you sure you want that?”  _

_ There was another long pause. Luz, Gus, and Willow seemed to hold their breath when they waited for the answer. They were curious too, but it wasn’t their business.  _

_ “I think I’m okay with knowing,” Emira answered after a while, “I’ve wondered for so long. It felt so abrupt, but it also didn’t. I want to understand what made you leave.”  _

_ The unspoken ‘us’ on the end of the sentence hung heavily in the air. Edric and Emira had made it very clear in the beginning that they’d felt abandoned. It had hurt her to know - to acknowledge that her brother and sister felt as she had for so long. But she knew that she couldn’t do anything for them if she didn’t help herself first.  _

_ “It’s not pretty…”  _

_ “That’s okay. I just want the truth, mittens.”  _

_ Gathering all of the emotional and mental strength she’d developed over such a long time, she took a deep breath, and began talking… _

“You’re late.” 

Amity jumped upon walking through the door, placing a hand over her chest where her heart was. She looked wide-eyed to see her mother waiting unhappily by the stairs. 

“I’m sorry, mother, my training ran longer than expected.” She explained, flinching at the growing frown on the woman’s face. 

“You could have at least sent us a notice. We waited, even let dinner get  _ cold. _ ” Fantessa snapped. 

No excuse could explain away her mother’s anger. Not when she got like this. It was better for her to grovel, though she knew she hadn’t really done anything wrong. 

“You’re right, mother, I’m very sorry and it won’t happen again.” Amity said timidly, averting her eyes to the floor. 

Fantessa huffed, but made no advances toward her, to Amity’s relief. Just stared. Stared with that dreadful frown of her’s. Amity could feel a headache building at the base of her skull. 

“Come along then, I suppose we should eat - even if it is cold.” The older witch sighed. 

Amity tried her best not to flinch at the not-so-subtle jab from her mother. It’d only prompt more scolding later. Something about ‘Blight’s not showing weakness’ or the like. It felt like a never-ending marathon, trying to keep up with her parent’s moods and expectations. One moment she would act perfectly, the next not perfect  _ enough.  _ She worried her hair would grey by the time she was Emira’s age - just another thing her mother would go out of her way to ‘perfect.’ 

“Ah, look who finally decided to arrive,” Rupert said as he caught sight of Amity, “About time. What was so pressing that it required you to be late, young lady?” 

“My lesson ran over, father. I’m sorry. I promised mother that it won’t happen again.” 

The girl was practically shaking as she apologized. Her mother was the one she really had to worry about. And though the witch had seemed to move on, her father mentioning her tardiness could reignite that anger and put her in a horrible position. 

“Mm. See that it doesn’t.” Was all the man said before tucking into his dinner. 

Amity did the same, though slowly. It wouldn’t do to draw attention to herself by eating too fast. The loud clicking of silver utensils against the plates echoed in the room. But once a suitable amount of their meals had been consumed, Fantessa and Rupert began to speak. To one another - not Amity. 

It allowed the girl to relax and zone out a little bit. Rarely did they ever include her in dinner conversation. Topics were labeled too ‘grown up’ for little girls like her to have opinions. It’d ruffled her feathers at first, but she’d begun to see it as the blessing that it was - less opportunity to anger her parents. 

The room was notably more quiet, as Edric and Emira were once again on a trip. She felt they were gone more than they were here. Or maybe it was the other way around. Amity had been spending longer and longer amounts of time at Lilith’s; exploring ancient topics and perfecting her magic. 

_ Maybe I’d see them more if I was here,  _ Amity thought. 

She loved her brother and sister more than anything, but she didn’t think she could give up her time with Lilith for them. They had a lifetime to spend together, while Amity only had specific times each week to be with her mentor. Surely the twins could understand. 

Speaking of her mentor, Amity’s mind drifted back to the lesson of the day. As her studies progressed, so did the material. Lilith had just introduced her to the magical techniques of ancient witches - learning to use nature as an extension of oneself and drawing from the world, as well as her own magic. 

_ “Remember, Amity - magic is not a finite source. It’s unending. Your magic can not be created or destroyed, but used, as it should be.” _

Lilith’s words rang in her ears. The knowledge had surprised her. Hexside’s curriculum taught little about magical techniques and how to make the magic work for you, but more about how to use it for the Emperor. She couldn’t help but wonder what it meant for Lilith to teach her techniques that went against the ruler she was loyal to, but Amity didn’t have the time to ask. 

While her mentor taught her that magic was infinite, she also learned that it was… contradictory. You could never run out of magic, but you could run out of life. Using too much, or being exposed to too much, could take that away. It was up to the witch to live within the means of magic attached to their life. 

Amity had been confused the entire time, but understood the gist; don’t overwork yourself. And don’t be greedy when it comes to magic. The grave tone of Lilith’s voice had been enough to scare her off of anything like that. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother’s voice. A few familiar names caught her attention, making her look up suddenly. 

“It was bold of them to show up at all. As if their daughter isn’t an embarrassment enough, so is their belief they still belong to our council,” Fantessa growled, spearing a piece of food aggressively, “I could tolerate their daughter. That doesn’t mean I will tolerate their… their  _ lifestyle. _ ” 

Amity’s eyes widened as she realized what her mother meant. Who they were talking about.  _ Willow.  _ Her heart felt like a lead balloon in her chest. It was no secret that her parent’s, her mother, didn’t approve of relationships between two witches of the same sex. But she’d never stated it outright. 

“It’s laughable. What happened to the good days, when witches like that were properly shamed?” Her father said back. 

The girl felt like she was suspended. The words replayed in her mind over and over again.  _ Shamed.  _ Amity knew that wasn’t what her father really wanted to say. It was written all over his face - it made her feel sick. And angry. 

Looking back on it, she could never decide if what she did was out of bravery or stupidity. She reasoned that it was probably a mixture of the two. 

“Why would you say that?” Amity said, looking devastated. 

Fantessa and Rupert’s eyes settled on her. Cold and piercing. They looked surprised, though she wasn’t sure if it was because they forgot she was there  _ or  _ because they never anticipated she’d speak up. Especially against them. 

“Amity, hold your tongue.” Her father warned. 

“No,” Amity said defiantly, “You’re wrong to talk about people like that. To  _ judge  _ them for loving who they love.” 

“You are far too young to have opinions on such a topic. Especially wrong ones. Now sit down and act as you should, before I become upset.” Fantessa finally spoke. 

A little bit of trepidation finally wormed its way through her emotions. The look in her mother’s eyes wasn’t as harsh as she’d seen before, but it still inspired fear. Every bone in her body told her to sit down. To leave it alone. But some small part of her was so tired. So fed up that she just couldn’t stay quiet anymore. 

“My age has nothing to do with whether or not I can understand things, mother. And what I can understand is that the both of you are wrong - you always have been! I’m tired of it! Is it so horrible to let people like me be happy?” Amity snapped. 

There was a silence in the room, charged in a way that it never had been before. Almost oppressively silent. 

“People like  _ you?” _ Her mother asked, slowly, visibly grinding her teeth. 

Amity’s eyes widened. She had been so caught up in her feelings and getting them out, that she hadn’t realized what information had slipped out. Catching her mother’s eye now, she was struck by the pure hatred in them. Fantessa had never been warm, but this… this was something else. It was too late to back down. 

“Y-Yes. People like me.” Amity stuttered. 

In an instant that felt like a blur, there was a vice grip around her wrist, dragging her from her seat at the table. Amity had no time to get her legs to work, falling unceremoniously to the floor. It made no difference to Fantessa. The girl could be face down on the floor and it wouldn’t color her cold heart to care. 

Pain erupted in her wrist and legs as she was dragged across the floor. The friction from the flooring on her legs was sure to leave marks of some sort. It was so painful now, with no end in sight as Fantessa pulled her away from the dining room. She’d always hated the long hallways. 

“M-Mother, please, stop! It hurts!” The girl cried, tears in her eyes. 

“If you want to act like a grown up, then you can take a punishment like one.” 

Fantessa never stopped. Never hesitated. Her eyes were set on the door to the basement, unwavering in her journey. 

Once she realized where they were going, Amity struggled. If they got her down there, she didn’t think they’d ever let her out. She’d never see the school or her friends again. She’d never see Lilith. With a sudden burst of energy, Amity attempted to yank her wrist out of Fantessa’s iron grip. 

_ Crack!  _

Pain shot up her arm as it came free. Tears filled her eyes as the intense throbbing extended up her arm. She hesitated for only a moment, seeing the shock on her mother’s face, before taking off at a sprint towards the stairs. 

_ I need to get to my room. I need to call Lilith.  _

Her footsteps were thundering on the wooden stairs. Faintly, she could make out her parent’s protests, following her. Their voices echoed but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She didn’t care to. 

Burning legs and an intense pain in her wrist wasn’t enough to stop her. Her lungs felt like they’d been dipped in fire, but she couldn’t hesitate. If she hesitated she’d lose any shot of getting to her scroll. Of getting help. 

A hand grazed her shoulder. She let out a shriek, nearly stopping in fear. Her body didn’t let her. Just a few more steps, a few more steps and she’d be safe. 

“Amity, stop this now!” Her father yelled from behind her. 

Amity didn’t waste her breath to yell back. Reaching out with her good arm, she opened her bedroom door and slipped inside. Slamming her shoulder against it to shut it, she managed to flip the lock. Just in time too. Her mother and father began pounding on the outside of it. 

She knew that there wasn’t much time. Luckily, her scroll was perched just on the bed, ready for her. Tapping and opening it, she mentally cursed her shaking hands. 

“Come on, come on,” She whispered fearfully, trying not to break.

Eventually she navigated her scroll to Lilith’s contact, hitting call. It loaded for a moment. Then the  _ calling…  _ screen popped up. 

“Please pick up.” Amity begged. 

_ Calling…  _

She didn’t know what she’d do if Lilith didn’t answer. She feared that she would never see the woman ever again. Never feel her hugs or hear her loving words. It petrified her more than anything her family would do. 

Her heart stalled in her chest as she heard the door begin to give under her parent’s magic. 

“Hello? Amity?” 

Amity’s eyes looked to the scroll, where Lilith looked back, eyebrows furrowed. Her face wasn’t perfectly in view but she could see enough. 

“L-Lilith!” She rushed out, voice cracking, “I don’t have much time, but I need your help - please! Come get me!” 

Before Lilith could ask any questions, a loud  _ crack!  _ came through the scroll. Then it went black - leaving her shocked and terrified. She’d never heard such desperation in Amity’s voice. What was going on in that house? 

She didn’t let herself ponder it for too long. If Amity needed her as urgently as it sounded, there was no reason to waste time. Putting on her cloak and mounting her staff, Lilith was off. But it wasn’t fast enough. The churning in her gut told her that she needed to get to Amity.  _ Now.  _

“Ravenna, as fast as you can!” Lilith yelled above the wind in her ears. 

The bird seemed to hesitate, before obeying her witch’s commands. Surrounding lights were a blur as they reached full speed. Lilith couldn’t see anything, having to close her eyes against the freezing air. Her cheeks were beginning to feel raw as the harsh winds touched them. 

She pulled her cloak over her face, sighing against the reprieve. It was still freezing, but she didn’t have to worry about the pain on her face any longer. 

Lilith’s heart hadn’t stopped beating rapidly. Not since the call had ended so abruptly. It felt like she couldn’t breathe - every system in her body so concentrated with fear that they minimized function. She wouldn’t feel any better until the girl was safe in her arms. 

There was also the terrifying ordeal of not knowing what she was walking into. Had there been a spell gone wrong? Had Amity touched something cloaked on accident? As she ran them through her head, she knew that she was grasping for anything other than the truth. That what was happening was at the hands of Fantessa and Rupert Blight. She wanted to believe it wasn’t true. 

Of course she was no stranger to the way’s the Blight’s had affected Amity mentally, but she’d always suspected physical abuse as well. It infuriated her to no end that she had no way to prove it. No way to get Amity away from them. To safety. 

_ You could have removed her on the authority of the Emperor’s Coven,  _ her mind poked. 

_ Not without reason. Even authority requires reason. I’d get her to safety, only to lose her when I had no proof. They’d hurt her worse and I’d lose all means of protecting her.  _

She’d wanted to ignore it all for so long. To bypass the rules, bring Amity in, and disappear. Lilith would give up everything she had to keep the girl safe. But she knew that by putting a target on her own head, she was putting one on Amity’s as well. 

The signs were all there - the not-so-subtle fear Amity had of going home, how she clung to praise, the way she was always aware of everything around her at all times. Amity made little noise unless prompted, freezing or flinching when someone moved. It seemed so obvious to Lilith, but then again, she’d  _ been  _ that girl in her youth. 

Her staff shifted downward, making Lilith aware of her approach to the Blight manor. A resignation had settled in her bones. She was terrified of what she would face when the door opened. If it did open. But she wouldn’t turn away - wouldn’t yield. Not until Amity was safe. 

The house was silent as she stepped up to the door, pounding her fist on it. There were no faint footsteps following it. She remembered that the twins were gone for the weekend, but the lights of the house were on, so it was obvious that the other Blight’s were home. 

After a few more moments, she rapped her fist against the door again. Harder this time. Panic was seeping through her calm exterior. Her fists were damp with sweat. In her bones, she knew something was wrong, she knew that she needed to get through this door. Only the worry of appearances held her back. 

Amity’s scared voice through the scroll replayed itself in her mind. It felt like a searing knife to the heart. Then everything shifted, her intention clear. 

_ Appearances be damned.  _

Stepping back from the door, Lilith spun her staff expertly. The blue of her spell circle looked almost menacing in the dim porch light as she threw a hand out, blowing the door off of its hinges. No forth-coming noise further heightened her unease. The silence felt wrong - misplaced. 

Carefulling walking through the doorway, she kept her back against it, covering herself. The atmosphere felt too similar to a Coven mission for her to leave herself exposed. A shiver ran down her spine. For all she knew, it could be just as dangerous as one. Her fondness for her apprentice was no secret and luring her in using the girl would be an effective tactic. 

Lilith couldn’t help but reason that the criminal would have to be an amatuer in this situation. There were too many unknowns - loose ends. There was no guarantee that she’d answer her scroll. She was head of the coven, after all. And there had been no instructions. No ‘come alone’ or ‘bring x amount of money’ demands. 

This was no set up. This was something worse, something… real. 

Taking in her surroundings, she looked for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. She doubted Amity was in her room. It’d been her location when the call cut out. It was unlikely she was still there. 

The arrangement of the Blight Household was always pristine. Nothing out of place. That knowledge made it easier to find a path or idea of where Amity was. If something was out of place, even slightly, it would be enough to draw attention. 

That was when she saw it. 

A rug at the bottom of the stairs was crooked and misplaced. The delicate pattern that normally balanced the room created an uncomfortable pit in her chest. One side was folded up, towards her. As if someone had been clinging to it and dragging it with them. She didn’t need to think too hard to figure out who it was. 

Lilith’s eyes scanned the room, moving in the direction that the rug had been dragged in. Bingo. There was a door - to what she assumed was the basement - propped open ever so slightly. A sliver of light escaping. 

Cautiously, she moved down the stairs. She had a sudden understanding of what was happening. It’d been lurking in the back of her brain, but she’d attempted to convince herself of anything else. Her personal opinions of Fantessa and Rupert weren’t very high to begin with, but she’d held out hope that they would prove her wrong - just this once. It seemed the universe was intent on dashing those hopes. 

Instead of walking into an open space like she expected, a maze of doors and hallways stood before her. Lilith internally cursed. If she knew anything about the Blight’s, there were likely dangerous items filling each room. One wrong door and she’d lose something. Whether it was a limb or her head, she didn’t want to find out. 

An errant sound caught her ear unexpectedly. 

Lilith looked in the direction it’d come from. She strained to hear if it would happen again, focusing intently on any subtle changes to the sounds around her. This once, the universe gave her what she hoped for. 

Upon happening the second time, she knew what it was; a whimper. 

“Amity?” Lilith said, holding her staff in front of her as she moved forward, “Amity, can you hear me?” 

_ “L-Lilith…”  _ Amity’s faint, scratchy voice came from a door to her right. 

With a speed that surprised her, Lilith placed her hand on the doorknob - only to yank it away with a yelp. The knob had burned her. In the middle of her palm was a bright red mark confirming it. She growled slightly, wrapping her cloak around her hand to open it. 

As she yanked it open, the light flooded the room. The sight made her freeze. Amity was curled in on herself, back pressed against the wall of the tiny closet. Lilith could see her tiny frame shake. But ever the curious witch, an eye peeked out at her. Trying to figure out if it was a trick.

“Amity…” Lilith gasped, falling to her knees in front of the girl. 

Lilith went to wrap her arms around her apprentice, to pull her close. She stopped her hands inches away from Amity’s body. If they’d hurt her badly, she didn’t want to make it worse. Luckily, Amity took care of that for her. 

The second Amity was sure she wasn’t hallucinating, she threw herself at the older witch. She didn’t care about the ache in her body or the pain in certain limbs. Lilith had come. Lilith had found her. A pathetic little sob left her mouth as she let herself cling to her mentor. 

“Oh, my beautiful girl,” Lilith whispered, holding Amity against her as gently as she could. Her voice wobbled perilously, “I’m here. I’ve got you, dearest.” 

Amity was still shaking in her arms. Though now, there were sobs moving through her. Lilith closed her eyes against the tears in them, trying to soothe the young witch to the best of her ability. She was running a gentle hand up and down the girl’s back when Amity inhaled sharply, flinching away from her hand ever so slightly. 

Lilith pulled back worriedly, intent on looking the girl over to assess what had happened. A gasp escaped her mouth unchecked when she saw Amity’s cheek. There was a defined, purple mark forming on her skin, dangerously close to her eye. 

“Where are they?” She ground out, not bothering to check the anger in her voice. 

“I-I don’t know, they said they were going to get ‘proper tools’ from somewhere.” Amity whispered. 

The way the girl averted her eyes made her feel sick. Gently, she brushed her thumb over one of her hands. Trying to show her that there was no anger directed at her. But tension was building in her shoulders. She’d been sitting here for too long - Fantessa and Rupert were going to be back at any moment. 

“Dearest, I need you to listen to me,” Lilith started, speaking quickly, but clearly, “You’re going to walk up the stairs behind me and I want you to go to your room and pack everything of value to you. I’ll wait at the bottom of the stairs in case your parents come back. I’m not letting you spend another moment in this house, do you understand?” 

Amity hesitated, before nodding. Lilith watched a shift take place as her apprentice put on a brave face. And with a count of three, they stood up, moving quickly as Lilith had planned. 

At the base of the stairs to the top level of the house, Amity stopped, clutching Lilith’s hand in her own tightly. The older witch looked down. 

“W-What if they come back?” She asked, voice shaking. 

“I’ll deal with them. They’re not going to touch you, I won’t let them. Now go, quickly.” Lilith reassured her, before urging her up the stairs. 

Amity listened obediently, hurrying out of view. She knew that she’d worry until the girl was next to her again, but her duty now was to stand guard. To keep Amity safe until she was prepared to leave. It’d take hell freezing over to move Lilith from her spot. 

Her frame felt ready to burst with anger by the time footsteps echoed down the hall. Standing her staff next to her, she watched the area where the noise came from. Until the objects of her hatred rounded the corner. 

Fantessa’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion before her eyes widened at the sight of Lilith. In the blink of an eye, she’d summoned her staff to her side. The exhausted snake palisman looked back at her. Lilith couldn’t help but pity the poor creature. 

“ _ You,”  _ Fantessa said, “How in Titan’s name did you get in here?” 

“Well, there is this fascinating invention called a door.” Lilith deadpanned. 

“Which I see you destroyed.” 

“Maybe if you answered it, it wouldn’t have been necessary.” 

“Is that the way of the Emperor’s Coven, now? Someone doesn’t answer the door, so you believe you’re entitled to entry?” Rupert asked. 

“When someone important to me is in peril, absolutely.” 

Lilith didn’t hesitate in her answer. It may not have been proper protocol, but she didn’t care. She’d do it again and again if she had to. Facing punishment a million times was worth it to get Amity away from here. 

“I’m not sure I understand your meaning, Lilith.” Fantessa tried, batting her eyelashes in a way that infuriated her. 

“You can cut the act. I’ve already found Amity and she leaves here tonight - with me.” 

There was nothing but pure steel in Lilith’s voice. She wouldn’t hear any arguments or listen to excuses. It was a shame that she hadn’t been able to get Amity out sooner, but she wasn’t going to dawdle now. There would be no standing in her way. Not on this. 

“It’s bold of you to assume you have that power.” Rupert chimed in. 

“It’s bold of  _ you  _ to try and explain my rights to me, Rupert Blight. My senior position didn’t come to me because I bought my way in.” 

Rupert clenched his jaw. Hard. It was the first time she’d ever seen the man so openly furious at anyone. In her experience, he’d been the more mild-tempered one of the couple. She must have really struck a nerve with her comment. 

“You’re going to leave. Or we’ll make you.” 

Fantessa’s threat hung in the air. Lilith opened her mouth to respond, when there was a light shuffling from behind her. Bags in hand, Amity was coming down the stairs, stopping when she saw her parent’s standing there. The look of fear on her face pained Lilith. 

“You’re right. I will be leaving, but Amity will be leaving with me,” Lilith said smoothly, “Come along, dearest.” 

Amity obeyed, staying behind Lilith fearfully. Her hand was clutched to the woman’s cloak in an iron grip. Fantessa snarled at Lilith. 

“Of course you’d protect her. Monster’s stick together.” Fantessa spat. 

In confusion, Lilith stopped in her route to the door.  _ What the hell does that mean?  _

“I beg your pardon?” 

“Oh, please,” The witch scoffed, “She must have gotten the horrid idea from you. This idea that being a witch who goes against convention is alright. You may have scraped into the Coven by hiding your… lifestyle… but it is no behavior for a Blight.” 

Lilith couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever felt both so isolated and so furious at the same time. Her body was vibrating with barely restrained anger. But an ever so slight tug on her cloak reminded her that Amity was still present. Still watching. 

“Amity, will you wait outside, please?” Lilith asked, straining to keep her emotion in check. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Amity hesitate. The girl looked between her and her parents, before hauling her bags through the singed doorway. Lilith made sure to repair the door behind her. Protecting her from whatever was going to happen within the house. 

“Let me make something  _ very  _ clear,” Lilith said, her tone so dangerous it sent a chill down Fantessa’s spine, “The only reason I haven’t taken this to the Coven is because you have two other children I don’t wish to displace. But if I hear anything, and I mean  _ anything,  _ about harm coming to the twins or Amity - you’ll lose everything.” 

“You’re all talk, Clawthorne. The Coven will see that we only did what we needed to - the right thing.” 

“You’re vile.” 

“No, I’m honest. She deserves everything she got if she thinks that she can sully my name like this. I’ll have her put in the conformitorium before I see her with another woman.” 

Lilith was so stunned into silence for a moment, she couldn’t stop her body from reacting to the comment. With no small amount of unchecked force, the witch swung, her palm meeting Fantessa’s cheek with a resounding  _ smack!  _

“You… You  _ burned  _ me!” Fantessa shrieked. The burn Lilith had suffered only minutes ago had somehow been transferred to the other witch’s face.

“You will heal,” Lilith snarled, “but I can’t say the same for Amity. You used your daughter as a sparring tool because she shared something that wasn’t a part of your little outline. How dare you stand here in front of me, defending how you hurt her? How dare you treat her like some  _ doll  _ to live out your fantasies through? You may be a failure, but I won’t allow Amity to become the same.” 

“How dare  _ you _ ? You think you know anything of her? She’s worthless! No power or prestige lies in her future. She will make a mockery of you just as she has made a mockery of the Blight name!” 

“Amity is a child. Her worth is not defined by her power or prestige. Even if she was, she is worth more just existing than you will ever know in your lifetime. The world outside of your door that you are so unaware of? They know her as she is. As Amity. Just because she’s young doesn’t mean she is an extension of me. Of any of us. She is her own being. You may have been too ignorant to understand the joy of caring for her, of seeing her grow, but I refuse to do the same.” 

“You are a damned fool, Lilith Clawthorne.” Fantessa spat, her face morphed into an ugly snarl. 

“Then I will be a happy fool,” Was all Lilith said, reaching for the door to meet Amity outside, before turning back to the woman, “You will not contact Amity, do you understand? If you hurt her in any way again, I will throw you into the forest and let whatever demon appears feast on you. Slowly. Maybe then you’ll feel an ounce of the pain Amity will always live with.” 

“Is that a threat?” 

“No, dear,  _ dear _ Fantessa. It’s a promise. And I’ve never broken a promise.” Lilith said coldly, both adults flinching away from her, though she hadn’t advanced or made any movements. 

Satisfied that she’d said her piece, she opened the door and walked through it, slamming it behind her for good measure. Amity was waiting on the steps and looked up at her, bags laying at her feet. It broke the witch’s heart. 

“They won’t bother you again, Amity.” 

“Oh, thank you,” Amity said softly, “but… what happens now?” 

“You’ll come home with me and we can get you settled for the night. After that, we can just take it one day at a time, does that sound alright?” Lilith asked. 

Amity looked surprised, though Lilith couldn’t imagine why. Did she think Lilith was going to send her somewhere? It hadn’t been a thought to the witch. It never would be - the girl belonged in a safe place. There were few places safer than her home. 

So the two flew back to Lilith’s in silence. Exhaustion setting in for the older witch, while the aches set in for Amity. As they flew, Amity felt overwhelmed by it all. She let herself replay what Lilith had said; one day at a time. 

She could do that. 

_ Amity shifted uncomfortably in her sleeping roll. After finishing her explanation, everyone in the room seemed to collectively hold their breath. She felt vulnerable. Exposed. She was very quickly convincing herself that she’d said too much. Sadness was worming its way under her skin, making her want to flee the room. Maybe bury herself in one of Lilith’s hugs.  _

_ “I… I never realized, Mittens… I’m so sorry.” Emira whispered.  _

_ The sadness and guilt in her sister’s voice felt like a blow. She never wanted Em to feel bad, she just wanted to stop keeping it all to herself. And she felt better about it. Mostly. There was that uncomfortable feeling lurking in her stomach - telling her that she’d left herself too exposed, she’d shown too much emotion.  _

_ “It’s not your fault,” Amity said, “They were always really careful about keeping it quiet. Even from you.”  _

_ The lengths her parent’s would go to in order to protect the twins would have infuriated her before, but now, it just left a dull ache in her chest. At one time, she would have done anything to get half of what Ed and Em did. She ended up with double the expectation instead. But now she had everything she wanted; A loving guardian, great friends, and all the freedom she could want.  _

_ “I know that, I do, but I was so horrible to you after you left. We both were. I let myself judge you over something that I knew nothing about.”  _

_ “Em, it’s okay. Yeah, it hurt at first, but we’ve moved past that now. Theres no reason to beat yourself up over something in the past.” Amity said.  _

_ It had hurt at first - a lot. But now she had her brother and sister back. That’s where the pain had come from anyway, the loss of her two partners in crime. Her big brother and sister. The people who looked out for her before anyone else did.  _

_ “Okay. I know I don’t say it very much... but I’m really glad you’re my sister, Ami.” _

_ “And I’m glad you’re mine, Em.”  _

_ The room descended into sporadic conversation. A comment from Emira or Luz, a giggle from Willow. Some snores from King, who’d placed himself in front of their sleeping rolls protectively. Slowly, the sad feeling that had come from the story faded away. Leaving only the happiness of the present.  _

_ Except for Edric, who’d been listening while pretending to sleep - and now laid stock still, tears running down his face.  _

**Author's Note:**

> AO3 is making me so salty. I’ve tried to post this 4 times... RIP me. 
> 
> Spare comments for the madam?


End file.
